To Defy the Black Rabbit's Call
by katklaws
Summary: A lone doe has to fight for her life in a strange warren. These burrows are like quicksand: the more she struggles, the deeper she sinks! Will little Iris ever manage to escape with her life and even manage to get ... revenge?
1. Alone

I've been working on this one for a long time. I hope you like it!

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**To Defy the Black Rabbit's Call**

_**Chapter One: Alone…**_

The darkness was suffocating her. She tried to run but her legs were unresponsive. She tried to scream but no sound came out. Suddenly a blood-curdling screech sliced the humid, summer air. Iris reared up onto her hind legs and clawed at an invisible enemy. The darkness pressed down deeper and smothered everything, like jaws closing on her throat.

Suddenly a jolt snapped through her body. Iris opened her eyes quickly and blinked to adjust to the dim light in the scrapem her body just barely regaining feeling after the stupefying dream. With a mind-clearing shake, the doe stepped into the powerful afternoon sun and let it soak her chilled body.

Her ears strained to hear a faint gasp. Ice was flowing in her veins instantly. Part of her knew what was coming but she hoped it wasn't true. For a moment, Iris couldn't see straight and it seemed she'd stepped from her own body and was seeing herself and the scene before her from far, far away. The terrible screech she'd heard in the dream was suddenly here.

Iris forced herself to look across the meadow before her. She felt a painful lurch as she registered a weasel crouched over two motionless rabbit bodies. Iris felt numb as one of them, no more than an whisker's length from death, look deep into her own eyes with all the love of a mother, the sorrow of never seeing her young again and the anger for her murderer that loomed over her now.

The other younger rabbit was Iris's only brother, Hawktalon, who was already dead. His face was twisted into a snarl of hate and Iris knew he died fighting. Rage flushed through Iris. She silently watched in horrid fascination, her legs frozen still. A thought of her other sister crossed her mind momentarily. Rose was nowhere to be seen.

A sudden gust of wind blew against Iris's back. Her scent was carried on the breeze to the weasel. It lifted its head, brow creased in concentration. By the time the scent was recognized, Iris was long gone. The weasel grinned at the fleeing rabbit. A chase would be fun. The creature took off astonishingly quickly, a mere blur of gray and brown.

Iris didn't slow down to look back. She kept running as fast as her five-month old legs would carry her, but it wasn't fast enough. The weasel was closing the gap between them. Its mouth watered as it imagined closing its jaws on the doe's throat.

Iris felt hot breath on her heels. She was becoming tired and her body screamed in pain to make her stop and rest. She closed her watering eyes to prepare for the attack. Claws and teeth hit mercilessly and Iris gave a very un-rabbit like howl of agony. She thrashed for all it was worth, fueled by rage and fear.

The weasel struggled to get his claws anywhere. Iris kicked her hind feet relentlessly. If Iris was going to die, she was taking the weasel with her. The attacker was becoming light-headed from the loss of blood. Iris seized the opportunity. She clawed mercilessly at its throat. Its breath came out in ragged gasps. With one frightening death-shudder, it collapsed onto Iris. The doe wiggled out from under the dead creature and fell down next to it, completely exhausted.

The doe eventually forced her to her aching paws. She felt light-headed but was determined to find a safe burrow to clean herself in. Iris settled in a burnt out tree with one opening at the base. By the time she found the tree, she was too tired to do much else. Iris gave a very bunny-like flop onto her side. She was determined to stay awake, terrified of never waking up.

After an agonizing resting period, a voice blew gently through the trees. " …_ Iris … come to me, Iris … leave the fleshy body and be free with me, Iris … It is your time,_" the serene voice called. Iris was frozen in fear. The Black Rabbit of Inle was waiting for her spirit.

Iris whispered, trembling then her voice grew into a strange roar. "No! No, no, no! This is not my time!" The doe wailed as she attempted to force herself onto aching paws. Her brown eyes were glazed and yet held a clear shine of determination. Her mind scoured her memories for a way to reason with the living shadow when Iris snapped. A insane grin crawled onto her face and a small chuckle escaped her mouth.

"No, Black Rabbit of Death, it is not my time."

Then it was as if Iris could feel its emotions on the very air. There was dull shock, followed by an almost resentfl sting.

"Very well then. Next time we meet, you will not be able to wriggle out of my grasp with simple will-power." Then the voice was gone and the emotions vanished. Iris simply stared in amazement. She was the first and only rabbit to defy the Black Rabbit. A numbness came into the doe and she fell limply on her side, into a deep sleep.

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I've had this story in my head for, like years. I was horified when someone posted a story with nearly the same plot and the exact same character name! Sorry to whoever posted that! The next chapters are much better, longer too. Please tell me what you think! 


	2. Home?

please read and review!

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_**Chapter Two: Home?**_

Iris began the slow, agonizing process of removing blood and dirt from her pelt. She hated the taste but she wouldn't risk attracting more predators. The day had become night by the time Iris was finished. Then sleep overwhelmed her and Iris sheltered in the hollow tree for another night.

Once again, darkness smothered her like she had plunged to the bottom of a frigid lake. She clawed to push herself up when she realized her hind legs were frozen to their place. The doe thrashed harder. She heard voices and footsteps approaching her. _They'll help me_, Iris thought. Iris twisted and turned violently. They came closer still. Suddenly a claw ran down her back.

Something prodded her side. Iris gasped as she awoke from her suffocating dream. A large buck stood over her and a scrawny one blocked the entrance. Iris scrambled to her feet and trembled in fear. The past day rushed upon her. Just as that happened, sunlight streamed through the entrance and struck Iris. The scrawny buck gave a gasp as her marring wounds were revealed but the larger buck stepped forward.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Iris attempted to speak but the only thing that choked out was a frightened gurgle. She swallowed and said, "Iris."

"I suppose you have no warren?" the buck inquired. Iris simply nodded and sat up awkwardly to keep weight off her injured fore leg. He noticed how she was trembling.

"Don't fret. You are among friends. I'm Nightshade and this is Hayfur," Nightshade said soothingly. Iris relaxed slightly. "You should come to our warren. It's perfectly safe from predators," he added. Then the two bucks headed out with the new found doe trailing behind. They both had battle scars and a strange x-shaped scar on their foreheads.

Iris observed how they talked quietly to each other and listened to the bits of their conversation floated back on the wind.

"Neabri-rah won't like this torn-up mess…"

"But he said to bring all he rabbits we could…"

"I guess a doe is a doe, injured or not…"

Iris trained her ears on their words but the breeze suddenly reversed causing the wind to distort their voices. Then a well hidden burrow entrance was soon revealed in the hill-side. A guard rabbit stood in their path. He took a quick glance at the trio then stepped aside smoothly.

Iris looked around but never strayed from the bucks' sides. They went deeper and deeper until they found a normal burrow. The two bucks stood on either side of it and nudged her in. A strangely large, battle scarred buck turned to meet her.

"Hello, newcomer. What brings you here?" he said in a rather kind way.

"I wa-want to j-join your warren," Iris stuttered in fear. The rabbit nodded slowly.

"Then you may call me Neabri-rah," the buck explained.

"Rah?" Iris asked. She was unfamiliar with regular marren terms.

"It means I rule here. Neabri said patiently. "Now if you going to stay here, you'll need your mark…" Iris took a scared step back. Hayfur and a guard rabbit blocked her way out. Neabri advanced, his muscles bunched to spring. The doe cowered as he raised his claws. The leader struck out twice, cutting an x into her forehead. Pain lanced mercilessly through the doe.

"Hayfur, show her to her burrow." Neabri's kind tone returned. Hayfur nodded and turned around. He headed down the hallway to an empty burrow except for a doe sitting in the back. Iris nodded timidly and walked in. Hayfur watched her settle then left without another word.

"Hello. I'm Foxglove." the other doe tried to be kind but was too busy washing blood from a wound on her head. Iris saw the wretched crimson liquid dribble down her reopened x cut. Then the doe felt blood from her own wound. Iris began to wash fervently. She couldn't stand he smell of it.

"I'm Iris," she replied. "What do you know about this place?" Iris wasn't so sure she wanted to stay after all.

"Well, you can't leave. I have already tried that." Foxglove said bitterly. "I was about to walk out when a guard stopped me and reopened my wound which I had only gotten yesterday. Apparently, they need all the does they can get." Iris looked horrified. How could she possibly leave now?

Suddenly Hayfur poked his head in. "Time for silfay."

"What's that?" Iris asked Foxglove, following her as she stood up.

"It's when we go out to eat." The doe sounded excited. She happily hopped out the burrow with Iris timidly following. Foxglove went up a hole not far from their burrow. A guard glanced at them and gave a nod. The younger doe followed her elder into the open field.

It was a few minutes into eating when a guard came up to Foxglove.

"Miss Foxglove, Darkseed has chosen you to be his mate. You should be honored, he is a veteran of our burrows, the Quicksand Burrows." The guard said as a gray and black buck came up to Foxglove and nudged her affectionately. The doe seemed crushed as she was led to Darkseed's burrow.

"Wait," Iris called to the guard as he began to leave. "Doesn't Foxglove get to choose who her mate will be?" Iris asked worriedly.

"No, Miss Iris." The guard replied. "Oh yes, and someone has chosen you to be his mate. Um, Hayfur, I believe his name was." Iris gave a silent gasp as the guard returned to his post. A straw colored buck came up to the stunned doe and brushed against her kindly. Iris stepped away from him.

_I must escape this place_, Iris thought desperately. She took another uncertain step back. The doe was trembling as she turned around and ran.

Then three tough bucks stepped in front of her from nowhere. Iris skidded to a stop and knocked one of them down. He quickly scrambled to his paws in an undignified manner and shoved the doe to her feet. Iris could feel waves of anger coming off them.

"You belong to the Quicksand Burrows. Need I remind you of-" He tenderly ran his paw over her forehead-wound. "-of your mark?" With the twist of a paw, the wound was reopened. Iris whimpered but besides that, she hardly reacted to the blood and pain. The rabbit gruffly shoved Iris back to the warren. Once inside, she was presented to Hayfur who promptly placed himself between the entrance of his burrow and his new mate.

He settled comfortably and inquired calmly, "So, Iris, tell me about yourself. I'd like to know you better." Iris narrowed her eyes and studied the buck. He wasn't that strong but was strong enough to repress Iris. She accepted that fact but stayed ready for any chance to escape.

"My past is not pleasant," Iris warned harshly.

"Nor is mine," Hayfur retorted.

"A weasel attacked my family and took their lives. He soon caught me and gave me terrible injuries. I killed it from pure luck then crawled into a burnt out tree to recover." She winced at the memory. Hayfur's expression was cleverly unreadable. "I soon heard the Black Rabbit's call." The buck sat up with a gasp.

"I told him no. No, I would live and we would meet later. Then he left and I cleaned myself. You found me the next morning." Iris finished with a bitter grimace. Hayfur nodded silently, still in awe of the rabbit that defied the Black Rabbit's call.

Hayfur coughed slightly. "My past meets the Black Rabbit many times. When I was three months old, I watched the Black Rabbit walk away with my father. Then when I was six months old, a farm cat destroyed my mother and siblings. I saw the Black Rabbit leave with them. I was then found quickly by a Quicksand Burrows patrol and I joined. Now you may return to silfay. Return to my burrow everyday after your afternoon meal okay?" Iris blinked and left the burrow promptly to eat.

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again, i started this one like a few years ago. the next chapter will sound much more fluent. 


	3. Truth

finally chap three ready. sorry, fanfiction was messed up for awhile. so read and review please!

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_**Chapter Three: The Dream**_

Day after terribly slow day, Iris returned to the burrow of Hayfur after silfay. She felt the buck becoming attached to her but could feel nothing in return. Her instincts still told her he was not good. So, every time Iris was forced to talk with him in his burrow, she would compare him to herself. Then she would silently spit in frustration because, no matter how much she grew and healed, he was still a step ahead in strength. Then, even during some evenings when Foxglove and Iris would rest in the burrow in the evening, the increasingly ill-famed Hayfur would come and take her away for more quiet talk-time in his burrow.

Then, just as Iris began to feel safe in Hayfur's presence, her faith was shattered by the truth. She had believed he might've been kind at heart to care for a scarred, little doe.

Then Iris discovered why.

As Iris was lolloping down a warren passageway towards her mate's burrow, Nightshade had slipped past her at a slightly quicker pace. Seeing as how the buck was heading in the same direction as she was, Iris decided to indulge her mischievous side and follow him. As the scarred doe had predicted, he turned into Hayfur's home. She sat just outside to listen in as their voices floated out to her.

"I was beginning to believe you fancied Iris," Nightshade gently teased yet it seemed he was masking another tone that Iris couldn't place.

Hayfur sounded heartlessly cold. "It doesn't matter, really. Iris is docile, submissive from being pushed around. All the easier for me to control."

Iris felt someone claw her soul though there was no one there. Her eyes went even wider when the enraged voice of Nightshade crashed into her ears.

"How dare you-you use, Iris!" the formidably larger buck spluttered. "I can't believe you'd do that." There was the sound of a small scuffle then Nightshade stormed out of the burrow and ran straight into Iris. He scrambled to his paws and helped her up. Large tears were welling up in the doe's brown eyes.

"How much did you hear?" he asked, fearing that she heard his compassion. Fraternizing with another buck's doe was considered punishable in the Quicksand burrows.

"Too much," she choked out as the tears in her eyes rolled down her face. Nightshade seemed to hesitate for a moment then nosed forward and gave her an affectionate nudge. In return, Iris leaned on him for a moment.

Nightshade silently led Iris to her burrow then left, leaving Iris to wonder how he knew where her burrow was. The doe felt a soft spot for him but the shattering of faith for her mate was just to recent. She could only sleep uneasily for now.

Iris awoke to the sound of other does whispering in the darkness of her burrow.

Foxglove was talking tensely to leaner, tan doe. Iris knew her. It was the timid Sandvally who knew quite a bit. Then the other face was recognized by Iris, a tawny brown rabbit who looked deceptively meek. She was called Reed-in-Water or Reed for short.

"Reed, you've contacted all of our rabbits on the winter burrows side and I've talked to all ours rabbits on the side under that young oak. Sandvally, how far have you gotten?"

"Well," she said softly, "Everyone except your new friend. We'll tell her, now that she's awake." The other two does glanced at the scarred rabbit in surprise to realize she had just awoken and was now confused and blinking quickly.

"What are you talking about?" she asked with a nervous edge in her voice.

Little Sandvally hopped slowly to the burrow entrance, glanced out to be sure of secrecy and then gave the go signal to Foxglove. The light doe gave a quick breath in then plunged into the explanation.

"We're planning an escape Fu Inlé. All the does are coming and so are a few bucks who don't believe in the way we are treated," the little, tan doe explained. "One of them is your mate, Hayfur, I believe."

Iris then scrambled to her paws in horror. "Not Hayfur!" She whispered loudly. "He doesn't care for any of us. The wretched buck only chose me because I was weak and would be easy to control." The others only stared on in shock.

"Well, there's nothing to be done now. We've just got to hope for the best." Foxglove replied grimly. "Let's get some rest before silfay, Iris." That sufficiently concluded the meeting.

When the guard came by the let them know that it was time to eat, Iris jumped in fear then led herself silently outside as the last splash of red sunlight fell into the horizon. The evening was cool and breezy with a few clouds rolling through the indigo sky. Iris could hardly let herself relax enough to sit and eat. Her senses were on high alert. She had tried to escape once and that had not turned out so well.

Once her time was up for silfay, she found the darkness of her burrow waiting. She wanted the comfort of sleep but sleep was hardly comforting. A dream she thought she had banished from her mind long ago resurfaced.

The darkness was terrible. It wrapped silently around her throat with merciless fingers and pushed her down where she could not stand. Iris thrashed violently, fear lending strength to her body. Her paw scraped against something a mere whisker's breadth away; a fur pelt that seemed familiar.

Pawsteps echoed from far away. Iris acted desperately, hoping the noise would draw the distant rabbits closer, to save her. Then a chill wind tore at her fur, forcing her to close her eyes that could not see in this cold darkness. Then she realized the creature approaching was not a rabbit but a demon in rabbit clothing. Iris knew then that she could not let the demon any closer, that she must escape.

A shaft of light fell on the demon's face. With such contrast from pitch black to bright light, Iris had to narrow her eyes to slits but Hayfur's face was burned into her memory nonetheless.

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soooo, what do you think? review please! 


	4. A Living Shadow Visits

finally, the fourth chapter. please read and review.

:-;-:

_**Chapter Four: A Living Shadow Visits**_

Iris woke with a gasp for air. Foxglove and Sandvally stood over her, distress clear on their faces. Iris closed her eyes; she was exhausted from her imaginary fight. Then foxglove bent down to speak to Iris and she could feel her breath on her ear,

"It's time to leave." She said quietly, so only Iris could hear. The scarred doe struggled to her paws when an all too familiar face appeared in the entrance.

"Iris! Please come to my burrow." Hayfur's voice sounded pleasantly surprised as he beckoned to Iris. Iris's desperate brown gaze fell to her friends but they merely looked to their forepaws guiltily. They couldn't meet her eyes for there was not a single thing they could do to help her now. Iris bowed her head slightly in defeat as she silently obeyed the buck's command.

When the burrow neared, Hayfur flicked his ear at two guards. They blinked dully and took their place outside the small den's entrance. Iris's last ray of hope was blotted out now. She was trapped.

"The other does may be leaving," Hayfur said in a voice soft with false love but his eyes gave away his excitement, "but not mine. No, your staying with me!" This was his first mate.

Iris cowered helplessly against the back wall, her eyes swimming with fear. Hayfur advanced in frightening silence. Iris leaped suddenly, straight into the air, her back skimming the roof. Hayfur twisted clumsily and snapped at an old hindleg wound so she stumbled and fell upon her landing. Still, he continued his attack, swiping his claws down the fur of her back so that she jerked to her paws.

Iris's eyes darkened as she fell to a memory of a dream. Again, she fought an enemy that had no face. A claw ran down her back and she realized that it had been a glance into the future, to that very moment when the straw-colored buck attacked.

The doe felt a soft black tide washing over her vision as the other rabbit stepped forward with a dark grin plastered on his face.

Something cannoned into Hayfur's side, sending him flying across the burrow and causing Iris to open her eyes. Iris's body ached from battle and she desperately wanted to just close her eyes and fade away but curiosity got the better of her. There before her were the does and few bucks who had planned their escape for that night overpowering the guards and Foxglove stood, fur bristling slightly, before Hayfur as he pleaded pathetically for his life. Foxglove spat with her face twisted in rage then lunged for another bite.

The world spun before Iris's closing eyes as her head lulled to the ground again. The chaos that had ensued came to a dead stop. A voice as soft as an old cobweb that could be blown away in the gentlest breath of a wind drifted from the warren entrance to Hayfur's burrow.

It called quietly, "Iris... Iris, now is the time..." Iris could see nor feel anything. She dared not to move in fear that it would not be her physical self but her spirit. Everyone's gaze fell to the young doe's motionless but barely alive form, blood still dribbling sluggishly from wounds. Then her voice rang out sharply, in a way that sent a shiver of fear through the ones close to her.

"No," she seemed to hiss, "My business is not finished here until my revenge on this warren is complete."

The Black Rabbit revealed itself, stepping without the slightest sound from the darkness at the edges of the burrow, a living, flickering shadow like that of a flame. It's eyes seemed to glow and glint in light that was not there.

"Are you sure? Your life will not improve until it becomes more difficult." Only the Black Rabbit Could see Iris's spirit nod for, as she had predicted, it was her spirit and not her body moving.

Paused in understanding he replied slightly resignedly, "Very well. Until then."

Suddenly the cold grip that had held the burrows was released as the shadow darker than dark vanished. Iris sat up, her gaze slightly hazed from tiredness. She dimly realized she was returned to her body and, though each wound stung fiercely, the crimson flow had ceased. With a quick blink, the doe knew that it had been the Black Rabbit's doing.

Nightshade let Iris lean against him as they left for the bucks still there were too terrified of the doe to try and stop her. They merely stepped backward, trembling. Some had been stammering apologies, already sensing the doe would come back with their deaths.

Iris's brown eyes were no longer glazed with pain but cleared with determination. Her pawsteps more sturdy, her senses sharper, she walked ahead and didn't look back.

:-;-:

it's not over yet! Iris wants revenge. will she get it? please review!


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